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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · field · stick · temple · trunk · toast · jam · object

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — bread
  5. hand — help
  6. field — a subject
  7. object — an aim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. object — a thing
  13. hand — in cards
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. field — for sport
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. object — to protest
  24. trunk — of an elephant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com